The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize has been won by photography duo Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin, the first pair to do so in the prize's 17 year history.

British photographer Chanarin met Broomberg in the latter's native South Africa two decades ago. They have since moved to London and have worked together on a number of exhibitions.

Broomberg & Chanarin were awarded the prize for their 2012 publication War Primer, which combines the pages of playwright Bertolt Brecht's War Primer with found imagery from computer screen grabs and mobile phone photographs. When Brecht published War Primer in 1955 he combined his short poems with WWII newspaper clippings in an attempt to demystify the images, and Broomberg & Chanarin achieve a similar effect but in a contemporary context.

The other shortlisted artists Mishka Henner, Chris Killip and Cristina De Middel were all awarded £3000 each.

The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2013 is organised by The Photographers’ Gallery in London and is on show until 30 June 2013.